290 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



Tl)e time for beginning this sport depends on the depth of 

 water on the particular flat whereon you are about to try your 

 fortune, — the moment the rising tide will permit your boat to 

 mn over and through the reeds, you must commence ; and your 

 sport will continue so long as the birds will c<jntinue tu rise be- 

 fore you, which will generally be until about the first ([uarter of 

 the ebb ; but as the water falls, the Rail become less and less 

 willing to take wing, — and in similar positions of the rising and 

 falling tide, you shall flush twice as many when it is making. 



There is little moi'e to be said, on the head of this sport, ex- 

 cept to give a few hints as to accoutrements and equipage, on 

 which, perhaps, next to the merits of your pole-man, the cele- 

 rity of your shooting, and amount of your bag, will depend. 



The best position, as I have obsei'ved, for the shooter, is to 

 stand, — and the best way to do this in the tottering and fragile 

 skiffs, is to plant the feet firmly a little way apart, with the left 

 somewhat advanced ; not to brace your legs, or stiffen your 

 knees, but rather to let the latter be a little bent, and to humor 

 the motion of the boat, by swaying your body slightly in accord- 

 ance with it. 



It does not much matter, however, except so far as you dread 

 a ducking, reader mine, whether you chance to get overboard, 

 or no, for the sport is pursued, invariably, in the shallowest of 

 water, and drowning is out of the question, in the worst event. 



As the weather is generally warm, a light shooting-jacket, 

 and straw hat, are as appropriate a dress as any. Your shortest 

 and your lightest gun, is the best tool for the sport ; but a largish 

 landing-net, on a long, light pole, will be found a very conve- 

 nient appendage, and will save your pole-man much time in 

 bringing your dead birds to bag. 



Next, as regards loading, to do which very quickly — at all 

 times a great point, is here a sine qua non to good sport — use no 

 shot-bag, and put the charger of your powder-horn down to its 

 minimum of contents. Half the ordinary charge of powder, and 

 tlirec-quarters of an ounce of No. 9 shot, is an ample charge 

 lur Rail. But if you are looking out for flock shooting at Reed- 



